Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 2.djvu/410

Rh 388 ARCHITECTURE [EGYPTIAN. Temples. covered by tliree stones as struts, over which was a per fectly formed voussoired arch. This arch was destroyed not long ago by the Egyptian Government, in order to build a mill. Outside the whole ex cavation was a deep trench 5 ft. 4 iu. wide, and 73 feet deep, from which branch out a num ber of chambers. This excava tion was probably finished above with some such trun cated pyramid as we have al ready described. Even more interesting are the tombs at Beni Hassan and Thebes. There is little attempt at architectural decor ation in these, except the facade and some columns cut in the rock inside; but they are filled with the most inter esting paintings, representing even the minutest incidents of, Tf A j i FIG. 22. Building in Campbells private life. A model of one Tomb&amp;gt; F ; om v * was exhibited in London by Belzoni ; and there is a valuable series built up, and painted in fac-simile, in the Vatican at Rome. It appears that as soon as a king succeeded to the throne, the excava tion of his tomb commenced, and proceeded year by year till his death. Canina has given plans and sections of several of the royal tombs, extending from 250 to 400 feet direct into the solid rock. Several of these tombs at Beni Hassan have external facades high up in the cliffs, consist ing each of two columns in antis, to which we shall have again to refer when treating of the origin of the Grecian Doric. Others, as at Ghizeh and Sakkara, have their entrances level with or below the ground, and without external decoration; whilst others, as at Thebes, have their entrances high up in the face of the cliffs, and not only without ornament of any kind, but closed up as if for purposes of concealment. But each, no matter of what size or description, had one or more chambers or corridors, in the floor of some one or other of which was sunk a deep pit. Leading out of this pit, again, were other cham bers, in one of which was deposited the sarcophagus. When this was done the pit was filled up so as to render the concealment of the place of sepulture as complete as possible. One of the grandest at Thebes is that of a priest, otherwise unknown to fame, which comprises a series of halls, passages, and chambers, at various levels, branching off in one place three different ways. In all, it is 862 feet long, and the part actually excavated occupies an area of 23,000 feet. Many of the paintings already alluded to are often simply executed in colour, but others are emphasised by being sculptured also in slight intaglio. This came into use, it would seem, about the 14th century B.C., the earlier work being in relief. The stone was usually prepared for paint ing by being covered with a very thin fine stucco. Even the fine granites were so covered sometimes, and the wood work also. Imitations of costly woods, &c., are to be found even at this early time. TEMPLES. The Egyptian temples range from the time that Thebes became the capital (about 2000 B.C.) down to the time of the Csesars. Of all the temples, the most remarkable is perhaps the rock-cut one of Aboosimbel, in Nubia, supposed to have been excavated in the 14th century B.C. The fagade was cut in the steep face of a rock, the entrance doorway being flanked by two gigantic statues (66 feet high) on each side. The main feature internally was a grand hall supported by two rows of detached piers, in front of each of which is a statue 17 ft. 8 in. high. Another remarkable temple exists at Ghizeh, built up within a great excavation in the rock ; here was found the statue of Chephren before mentioned. The temple is lined with immense blocks of polished granite, as are also the piers, each of these being of one stone about 15 feet high, 5 feet wide, and 3 2 thick. Over this structure there was clearly another, above ground, as extensive remains of fine stone walling still exist. This singular edifice is without inscrip tion of any kind, and evidently was connected in some way with sepulture, as tomb-chambers lead out of it. The apparently great antiquity of these and other excavations lent countenance to the theory to which we have before alluded, viz., that the origin of Egyptian art is to be found in them. But the evidence before us distinctly shows that all the forms used in the great excavations at Aboosimbel, Thebes, Beni Hassan, and other places, are clearly copied from built buildings. Thus, we have the ceilings arched out of the solid rock, or formed with clear imitations of beams, squared or round, also cut out of the rock, just as square beams or round logs were used in ordinary buildings ; and so with the other parts of the excavations. The grandest architectural efforts of the Egyptians are shown in their built temples, whose construction ranges from the time at which Thebes became the chief capital (about 2000 B.C.) down to so late even as the time of the Csesars. Sir Gardner Wilkinson, in his Architecture of Ancient Egypt, gives a very full account of these edifices, and classifies them thus : 1. Sanctuary Temples, or those with only one single chamber. 2. Peripteral Temples, or the like, but surrounded with columns. 3. Temples in Antis, with a portico of two or four columns in front. 4. Those with porticos of many columns, as Esne, Dendera, &c., and many inner chambers. 5. Those with large courts, and with pyramidal towers or propylons in front. The earliest temples were small, consisting of a simple chamber to hold the statue of the deity, with one opening or door way in front, through which the votary might look, and with an altar for sacrifice. They were sanctuaries into which only priests might enter. The building was sur rounded with a wall of brick forming a court or temenos, which was entered by a tall stone gateway or propylon, and was often planted with trees. In process of time these temples were enlarged, and there were added chambers for the priests, and large doorways flanked by towers with sloping sides (Plate VII. fig. 5), and sometimes by a portico or pronaos (fig. 2) supported by columns. The vestibule, or court-yard, was surrounded by a colonnade (fig. 4) ; the propylon was of gigantic proportions, and full of chambers (figs. 1, 4). The sanctuary, adytum, or O-T/KOS (fig. 4), still contained the idol and its altar. Across the court, and, in fact, sometimes for an immense distance outside, there was a Spo /xos, or avenue of sphinxes, through which processions defiled. At the commencement of this avenue there was frequently an open or hypaethral build ing, or peristyle of columns, where it is supposed the processions assembled and were marshalled. This building is called a canopy by Sir Gardner Wilkinson. The pyramidal form of the propylsea, peculiar to Egyptian temples, may have been suggested by the pyramids, as neither that form nor those adjuncts to a temple appear to have been used before the period at which it is supposed the former were constructed. The grandeur and dignity inherent in that form would indeed hardly be suspected tillits appearance in the pyramids themselves ; and certainly the impression of its effect must have been strong, to induce men to seek it in a truncated pyramid under a very acute angle, as in the propylsea, relying on the effect of